Virginia leaders point fingers as federal government shuts down

For the first time since 2019, the federal government shut down on Wednesday after Democrats and Republicans failed to advance a funding deal.

This impasse between both parties has centered around the Democrats' effort to include health care provisions in any agreement — they have warned that millions of Americans could face higher insurance premiums in the months ahead. Republicans countered that health care should not be part of the current funding debate.

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On Tuesday night, the Senate rejected two proposals — one backed by Democrats and another by Republicans — that attempted to avert a shutdown. Both